1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of the play NOT THE FILM of Real Women Have Curves. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
-This play takes place in East Los Angeles during the first week of September in 1987. The action of the play is centered around five latina women who work in a sewing factory owned by one of the women, Estela, and the story develops over many days. The other characters in this play are Ana (the central character whose perspective this play is told from), Carmen (mother to Ana and Estela), Pancha, and Rosali. This is the day that Estela reveals that she has not obtained legal permission to be in the US yet.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
- The intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken is when Estela admits that she has not obtained her card to legally work in the United States.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
-This play takes place in this particular time and place because the political climate towards latinos was very negative and the threat of immigration raiding a company such as Estela's sewing company was highly likely.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
- Will immigration come and take Estela away?
- Will the women be able to finish up the dresses and get paid?
5. Use Ana, the central character, to answer the questions. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what Ana wants (NOTE: In Real Women Ana's wants seem to be in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
-In the case of Ana, the main conflicts that she faces are character vs character and the character vs society. In regards to character vs character, Ana constantly struggles with her relationship with her mother and even her older sister to a certain extent. Carmen wants Ana to stay at home and be more of a traditional latina while Ana wants to become a writer and be more independent. In regards to character vs society, Ana does not want to follow the social norms that were established by the women that came before her. Another aspect of society that Ana is pitted against is also the immigration policies of the United States at the time. Throughout the entire play, the women are constantly in fear of the immigration police raiding the factory even though the majority of them are legally residing in America. This fear shows the audience that the this is an everyday struggle that these women live with and their initial reaction is to hide.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Real Women Have Curves.
- The most theatrical movements in this play are when Estela reveals that she does not have her papers and when the women all take off their clothes due to overheating. When Estela tells her secret, it initiates the action of the play and all the characters also have some strong reactions. When the women take off their clothes, it is suppose to cause some sort of reaction and shock to come from the audience. This scene is also suppose to strengthen the bond between all the women on stage and celebrate physical features that are not seen as traditionally beautiful in society.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Real Women. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Real Women.
-Some of the themes that are present throughout this play are feminism, the power of family, and how family is not just your blood relatives.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Real Women? Is family redefined in this play? If so, how and why?
- Family plays a large part in the dramatic action of this play because it is the tension between Ana, Carmen, and Estela that propels the story forward, Due to their intimate familial connection being present in a place of business, professionalism is almost thrown out the window especially whenever Estela tries to get Carmen to work in the order that Estela thinks in the most fitting. Family is also redefined in this play because even though both Pancha and Rosalita are not boold relatives, it is obvious that they have a very close connection to the other three characters and still stick with them to the end just like realy family members would.
-This play takes place in East Los Angeles during the first week of September in 1987. The action of the play is centered around five latina women who work in a sewing factory owned by one of the women, Estela, and the story develops over many days. The other characters in this play are Ana (the central character whose perspective this play is told from), Carmen (mother to Ana and Estela), Pancha, and Rosali. This is the day that Estela reveals that she has not obtained legal permission to be in the US yet.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
- The intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken is when Estela admits that she has not obtained her card to legally work in the United States.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
-This play takes place in this particular time and place because the political climate towards latinos was very negative and the threat of immigration raiding a company such as Estela's sewing company was highly likely.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
- Will immigration come and take Estela away?
- Will the women be able to finish up the dresses and get paid?
5. Use Ana, the central character, to answer the questions. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what Ana wants (NOTE: In Real Women Ana's wants seem to be in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
-In the case of Ana, the main conflicts that she faces are character vs character and the character vs society. In regards to character vs character, Ana constantly struggles with her relationship with her mother and even her older sister to a certain extent. Carmen wants Ana to stay at home and be more of a traditional latina while Ana wants to become a writer and be more independent. In regards to character vs society, Ana does not want to follow the social norms that were established by the women that came before her. Another aspect of society that Ana is pitted against is also the immigration policies of the United States at the time. Throughout the entire play, the women are constantly in fear of the immigration police raiding the factory even though the majority of them are legally residing in America. This fear shows the audience that the this is an everyday struggle that these women live with and their initial reaction is to hide.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Real Women Have Curves.
- The most theatrical movements in this play are when Estela reveals that she does not have her papers and when the women all take off their clothes due to overheating. When Estela tells her secret, it initiates the action of the play and all the characters also have some strong reactions. When the women take off their clothes, it is suppose to cause some sort of reaction and shock to come from the audience. This scene is also suppose to strengthen the bond between all the women on stage and celebrate physical features that are not seen as traditionally beautiful in society.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Real Women. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Real Women.
-Some of the themes that are present throughout this play are feminism, the power of family, and how family is not just your blood relatives.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Real Women? Is family redefined in this play? If so, how and why?
- Family plays a large part in the dramatic action of this play because it is the tension between Ana, Carmen, and Estela that propels the story forward, Due to their intimate familial connection being present in a place of business, professionalism is almost thrown out the window especially whenever Estela tries to get Carmen to work in the order that Estela thinks in the most fitting. Family is also redefined in this play because even though both Pancha and Rosalita are not boold relatives, it is obvious that they have a very close connection to the other three characters and still stick with them to the end just like realy family members would.